But for all her attempts, today belongs to the big retailers. The big-box stores with the big advertising budgets and so-called door-buster sales are where the lines will gather and the registers will ring.

Marte, along with proponents across the nation of something called Small Business Saturday, is hoping Saturday will be better.

Thousands of small stores, restaurants, spas and other retailers across the country will offer their own discounts and promotions to lure holiday shoppers to their doors.

American Express created the day three years ago, it says, to help small businesses struggling during the recession. The credit and charge card company encourages cardholders who have registered in advance online to make purchases with their cards at a participating business in exchange for a $25 rebate paid by American Express.

Claudia Thornburg, vice president of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, is urging local shoppers to support local merchants.

"I think it has a lot to do with the quality of a place," she said. "Not only are (small businesses) an economic engine, but I think that they (provide) a sense of the community."

As a former business owner herself, Thornburg said she not only knew the names of many of her customers, she knew their shoe sizes and what styles they preferred.

"If you really want to experience what a city has to offer, you walk into a small retailer," she said. "Not only will you get a gift that is special, but it's special to the business owner as well."

But the environment remains challenging.

"Business is slow," said Marte, who moved her store a year ago to its current location at 915 State St. "People are still coming in and saying, 'We didn't know you were here.'"

Jennifer Reed, co-owner of Relish, a gift and jewelry store at 3835 W. 12th St., said she and her sister, co-owner Terri Reed Boyer, have done everything they know how to do, including sale prices and a more diverse product line.

But the crowds will be elsewhere today, she said. She blames some of that on an economy that remains weak.

"We keep plugging away and hoping for better," she said.

Like many other small-business owners, she's convinced her business is part of Erie's identity.

"Small businesses are what gives every town its flavor," she said. "Nobody says, 'You're in from out of town. Do you want to go to Walmart?'"

Rich Weber, owner of the Erie Sport Store, has his own thoughts about the nature of a locally owned business. He said he's been told his 60 or so employees provide great service, and that his store competes on both price and selection.

But Weber seems equally proud of the assistance his store provides to community events.

"I honestly believe we get 15 to 20 solicitations a week," Weber said. "We have a board that reviews the requests."

Weber said he often has to say no, but ends up supporting hundreds of local groups and causes each year.

"We try not to brag," he said. "But I believe we do a lot for the local community. We support those who support us."

Advocates for small businesses are hoping that customers will see Saturday as a chance to return the favor.